What a cool little rig…
If there’s one thing we’ve learned during all these years of living this crazy traveling lifestyle, it’s never to leave home without a camera.
The debate, though, is whether to take the big camera or the small one.
Of course, everyone knows that the best camera in the world is the one you have with you.
“Cowgirls are Forever!”
This morning we had a brief errand to run at Walmart.
As we were walking out the door we looked at our big cameras lying on the sofa.
What could we possibly see in the next hour between our campsite and Walmart that would be worth photographing?
It was a rainy, gloomy day. There was no chance we’d see anything exciting.
“We have more fun than anyone!”
So off we went, each with our little snapshot cameras in our pockets.
When we pulled into the Walmart parking lot, Mark suddenly pointed.
“Look! It’s your gals — Sisters on the Fly!”
Lo and behold, a brightly painted vintage travel trailer was parked right in front of us, with the words “Sisters on the Fly” emblazoned on the side.
We both jumped out of the truck and ran over, so glad to have our pocket cameras with us.
“Honor the earth for all her beauty.”
When we looked around the parking lot, we realized this adorable red and white trailer wasn’t the only one in the lot!
Colorfully painted trailers were parked all over the place.
And grinning women with their hair blowing in the breeze were piling out of the trucks and cars that were towing them.
Suddenly, I found myself standing with three lovely ladies learning about their upcoming adventure weekend.
A group of Flying Sisters was headed to Idaho for a weekend of camping, late night chats, kayaking, cocktails, fishing and hiking.
Most were driving their own trailers to Idaho, but a few from Arizona were flying in to stay in cabins at the gathering place.
The most important thing about the weekend was that their hubbies were staying at home.
How fun!!
Catch that moon!
“What I love about this group is that we get to do what we want to do.” One woman was telling me.
“We talk, we shop, we stay up late and chit-chat, and when we travel we don’t have to listen to someone whining, ‘We saw this already, why do we have to see it again?'”
We all laughed.
“Cowgirls rule the planets!”
What a great idea and what a terrific group of women they were.
This wasn’t our first encounter with Sisters on the Fly, however.
Five years earlier, while camping at the White Tanks Regional Park in Phoenix, Arizona, we had found ourselves amid an equally lively group of women adventurers.
To think that I saw it at Walmart!
An elegant bohemian belle…
They had been camping in charming antique trailers just like these, all done up and painted up, each one cute as a button.
When that friendly group of gals in Phoenix had told me about their intriguing club, a few of them had even given me tours of their sweet little rigs.
(See our blog post about it here).
Re-reading that post this evening, I see that back in 2009 their numbers were 1,000 strong. Today, these women told me, in June, 2014, Sisters on the Fly has over 5,000 members!!
“Boots, beer and bling – It’s a cowgirl thing!”
This little group was at Walmart for just a brief pit-stop.
No sooner had I met a few gals and started chatting than a signal came from the wagon master and it was time for them to return to their rigs and hit the road.
Mark — always so sweet and patient with this kind of thing — quietly took photos from a safe distance while I ran around between them like a madwoman.
After all, our little errand to pick up a few cans of soup could wait a few minutes!
“Head ’em up, move ’em out!”
The colorful vintage rigs began to move.
They circled the parking lot in a small proud parade as they made their way over to the exit.
“I saw you guys in Phoenix five years ago!” I yelled at one gal driving past me.
“I was there!” She called out as she disappeared around the bend.
“Cowgirl Moon-Inn”
Once they had all pulled away and we were walking into the store, I could only laugh and shake my head at my indecision this morning. Big camera or small? Gosh, I sure wish I’d taken the big one…
To learn more about Sisters on the Fly, click here. To see some other fun rigs we’ve come across in our travels, click here.